CFB Bagotville

Canadian Forces Base Bagotville is located in Saguenay, Quebec, 4.5 nautical miles west of Bagotville. Established in 1942, the base was constructed to protect regional hydroelectric facilities and the Alcan aluminum smelter. During the Second World War, the site hosted 1 Operational Training Unit under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and 130 Panthère Squadron. Early aircraft types operated at the station included the Curtiss Kittyhawk, Westland Lysander, North American Harvard, and Hawker Hurricane. The base was deactivated in 1945 and reactivated on July 1, 1951, to support NATO defense requirements. Historical aircraft hosted at the facility include the De Havilland Vampire, F-86 Sabre, CF-100 Canuck, CF-101 Voodoo, and CF-116 Freedom Fighter.

The Royal Canadian Air Force operates the base under the control of 1 Canadian Air Division. It is one of two installations in Canada operating the CF-18 Hornet. The base hosts 3 Wing and 2 Wing. Stationed units under 3 Wing include 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron and 433 Tactical Fighter Squadron, both operating CF-18 Hornets, and 439 Combat Support Squadron, which operates CH-146 Griffon helicopters. Other lodger units include 12 Radar Squadron, 3 Air Maintenance Squadron, and the 3 Wing Air Reserve Flight. 2 Wing units at the base include 2 Mission Support Squadron, 2 Air Expeditionary Training Squadron, 2 Operational Support Squadron, 4 Construction Engineering Squadron, 8 Air Communication and Control Squadron, and 14 Construction Engineering Squadron.

The airfield is shared with the civilian Saguenay-Bagotville Airport, which serves as a Nav Canada airport of entry. The base supports operations for NORAD and NATO. Infrastructure includes facilities for 414 Electronic Warfare Support Squadron and a fleet of Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jets used for contracted training. The site also houses the Musée de la Défense aérienne and the Bagotville Cadets Canada Summer Training Centre.